Tuesday, 27 December 2016

Following up the bonus from the previous post with a CD by Soungalo Coulibaly seems a very good idea at the end of this very first year for Mangue Music. Soungalo is a djembe player, and music from djembe players is usuable mostly appreciated by drummers and percussionists. Fortunately for all of us on his first international album he and his band played really good songs, so likeable for all open-minded music lovers!!

from the booklet: Soungalo Coulibaly was 1955 born in Beleko in southern Mali. He started to play percussion at the early age of eight, and it can be said that he is self-taught because, against the wishes of his father, who was the village headman, and without any formal training, he managed to learn everything he happened to hear: the traditions of his region, then of the other regions of Mali, and then he left this country, those of the Ivory Coast and Guinea.
His humble and friendly exterior conceals an exceptional master of percussion. His most personal phrasing, his perfect dexterity, his forceful and precise strike make Soungalo Coulibalyone of the most brilliant djembe players of our time. In Europe, where he has toured for the last few years, he was first known and appreciated as a percussionist. But he is also unequalled as composer and conductor. Among the great virtuosi of percussion, there is no-one else who has such talent for orchestration. Since 1979 he has been living in Bouake (a melting pot of living traditions), and there he formed his group which at the moment includes about fifteen musicians (percussionists, guitarists, balafon players) who invent and perform their new music which has its roots in the culture of the legendary Mali and in the traditions of the various different ethnic groups of West-Africa.

Saturday, 24 December 2016

Here for you all a Christmas Present from the far far far away but ever so close Land of Mangos.

Oumou Sangare 1995 at a Festival in Sweden (image from youtube)

Received the original audio from 'doyadig', a very kind follower of this blog, and with the help of NGONI could identify (almost) all the songs. MANY THANKS TO BOTH OF YOU!!!!!!

Wanted to post this already months ago, but didn't find the time to do so. Later on decided to keep till just before Christmas, so during whatever you're doing the coming days you have the chance to do it when listening to a fabulous live recording from Oumou Sangare and Her Great Band!!!!

Friday, 23 December 2016

BIOGRAPHY

(till time of this session in 1992)

Khaled Hadj Brahim, better known to music fans as the Algerian Rai star Khaled, was born in Sidi El Houari, a suburb of Oran, on 1960 February 29.
At the age of 7 Khaled vowed that he would one day follow in the footsteps of his musical idols, Elvis Presley and Johnny Hallyday, and launch his own singing career. He formed his first group, "Les Cinq Etoiles", when he was 14 years old and began performing at circumcision feasts and wedding parties as well as on the local cabaret scene. Shortly afterwards Khaled was expelled from school and found himself free to devote all his time and energy to his singing career. In 1974 he recorded his first single "Trig El Lici" on a simple two-track tape recorder, the song became a massive hit on Algerian radio stations, but Khaled would not earn a penny in royalties from it.
Continuing to perform on Oran's thriving cabaret scene, Khaled wasted no time in modernising the traditional Rai sound. In 1976 the singer would replace the violinists in his backing group with a couple of electric guitar players. By the age of 17 Cheb Khaled had become a national star with five (poorly recorded) K7 albums to his name.
In 1982 Khaled would take his radical modernisation one step further, adding synthesizers and drum machines, meanwhile Khaled's lyrics remained as controversial as ever. The rising young star was soon adopted as a spokesperson for a whole generation of frustrated Algerian teenagers and his fan base would soon extend to the Algerian bourgeoisie (known locally as the "Tchi tchi").
In 1986 he was invited to France to appear at the prestigious Rai Festival held in Bobigny (in the Paris suburbs) in 1986. Performing on stage alongside the creme de la creme of the Rai movement, Khaled brought the house down with his deep, baleful vocals and his imposing stage persona. Following his success at Bobigny, Khaled released his first 7" in France, "Hada Raïkoum" (It's Your Law) was adapted from an original K7 recording.
In 1988 Khaled recorded his "Kutché" album in France, working with the renowned French 'world music' producer Martin Meissonnier, and the respected Algerian musician Safy Boutella. The album was only moderately successful, Rai connoisseurs considered that Khaled's radically modern approach 'denatured' the traditional genre.
Back at home in Algeria, things were proving increasingly difficult for Khaled. Renowned as an exuberant bon vivant and defender of the controversial Rai movement, Khaled was under threat from the rising tide of fundamentalism sweeping through Algeria in the late 80's and he would eventually leave Algeria to settle in France.
In 1992 the release his next album transformed Cheb Khaled into a veritable international star, he was dubbed the official 'King of Rai'. The album simply called "Khaled" - recorded partly in Brussels with the aid of producer Michael Brook, partly in Los Angeles with the legendary Don Was - would generate a whole string of hits for the Rai star including the best-selling "Didi". This single would not only rocket to the top of the French Top 50 (the first song recorded in Arabic to chart in France!), but "Didi" would also soar to the top of the hit-parades all over the world. "Didi" even became a surprise hit in India, where it was translated in Hindi.

tracklist: 1.Didi / 2.Wahrane / 3.Mauvais Sang / 4.Braya (two times!)source: rec.1992.Sep.15 - bc.1992.Oct.24 Andy Kershaw BBC Radio 1update: On tape is 2-times track 4.Braya, though announcement before the first is for 'Mauvais Sang', this could either mean a tape mix-up or really played like it is on the tape. I've update the download using all info and recordings I have, and will go after the missing track (will update here when receive any further info and/or music)

Wednesday, 21 December 2016

Just over two months ago, we lost (again) a great Malian musician: Issa Bagayogo. It can be stated that he had lived an interesting life with varying experiences, to say the least. Happily we can keep remembering him by listening to his music, and present you here a (short) live recording to do so.

Bio from 2002 Festival in Spain

Korin Bagayogo Issa was born in 1961 a few miles from Bogouni, birthplace of one of the great stars of Mali, Nahawa Doumbia. Like many young artists, he started playing very young, first daro, called the work of field workers and then with the very small guitar young guitarist known as kamele Malian ngoni, as he began singing. It was thirty years old when he decided to leave the capital, Bamako. It was there that Philippe Berthier proposed record though economically the result was not too good to Bagayogo, who returned to his village with some cassette tapes with his picture, but no money. Although in 1993 attempted to try his luck with a new recording in the same format, very common in the market drives from West Africa, to support his family was away for a while from his sleep. Abandoned by his wife, returned to Bamako again, willing to change their fate. And were Moussa Koné, former guitarist of Ali Farka Touré's band and sound engineer Yves Wernert, who gave a twist to his career by proposing a production in which, despite his initial reticence, tradition opened to more electronic sounds. 'Sya' (1998) was a success that has also marked his new album 'Timbuktu' (2002), where 'Techno Issa', as he is now known, has included the sound of the ngoni, but also the female voices, and other synthesized perscusiones own textures and dub electronic music.

Sunday, 11 December 2016

As promised, back on track, only the track leading this time to a not really Mango Tree friendly place, but the music is great and that's what counts first of all.

SöNDöRGő in New York 2014.Sep.25

Söndörgő was founded in 1995 in Szentendre a small Hungarian town near Budapest, with long-established Serbian tradition. The Eredics brothers got acquainted, and started to play music together with (bass player) Attila Buzás during their high-school years. Partly because of family reasons (Kálmán Eredics, the father of the Eredics brothers, was a founder member of the Vujicsics ensemble), all the group members are profoundly touched by, and drawn towards Southern Slav folk music. Söndörgő’s mission is to research it, arrange it and perform it on stage. The current members of the group are: Áron Eredics, Benjamin Eredics, Dávid Eredics, Salamon Eredics and Attila Buzás.
In contrast to most groups playing Balkan music, Söndörgő isn’t playing brass band music, it is a tamburitza band. The tambura is a small and agile plucked instrument similar to the mandolin which is occasionally supplemented by wind instruments and accordion. Söndörgő’s traditional repertoire is made up of material gathered by Béla Bartók and Tihamér Vujicsics as well as learned from old masters of the tradition.

Have seen them live a few months before this session recording, around the time of the World Cup footbal in 2014.Jun/Jul, when they were on tour promoting their 'TambuRocket' album.
Had never heard of them before, and well really liked them. On their facebook page I just saw that they finished their latest international tour (they even played in Jodhpur, India) and are back in their homeland, so unfortunately missed them this time around.

Discography

2010: VA - A Népzenétől A Világzenéig (CD, FolkEuropa) incl.song by Söndörgő
2011: Tamburising - Lost Music Of The Balkans (CD, World Village)
2014: Tamburocket (CD, Riverboat) - at worldmusic.net
2016: Live Wire (CD, Riverboat) - live album at worldmusic.net

Sunday, 13 November 2016

Back again with a quick post (only 2 songs) about Les Filles de Illighadad live recorded and a little while later broadcasted yesterday (yeah yeah yesterday) at the Le Guess Who Festival in Utrecht, NL.

Les Filles de Illighadad (Niger)

Les Filles are a female duo from a village in Neger, never heard of them before, and when I heard this recording today, I was floored, so absolutely needed to post this now. Here's the info from the festival:

Fatou Seidi Ghali and Alamnou Akrouni reside in the tiny village of Illighadad, Niger.

Fatou plays the tende, and an old blue guitar, slightly bent because of the extreme weather. She is one of only two Tuareg female guitarists. Together with her cousin, vocalist Alamnou Akrouni, they strip Tuareg music from all progressive leanings, right back to its bare essence.

Various Western African artists have expanded the Tuareg-blues movement on a global scale, but rarely have these soul-purging sounds resonated so candidly and emotively. This is communal music poured straight from the heart, performed to comfort the sick, to entertain the people and to blend in with the radiant ambience of the environment. Les Filles de Illighadad will play a total of three times at Le Guess Who?, marking the first time Fatou and Alamnou tour outside of their homeland.

In between the songs the DJ talks about the girls, that they were for the first time outside of Niger and stayed at the home of Andy of The Ex, who had to explain them how a toilet functions.

UPDATE: HERE YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE WHOLE CONCERTIf for some reason it doesn't work for you and/or you want to have the recording yourself, make comment with Email and I'll take care that you can hear it.

Wednesday, 26 October 2016

Half a year ago (plus 1 day) I made a post about John Peel, and now again I missed yesterday's John Peel Day (2004-2016.Oct.25).
This time with just one day, caused by personal chaotic circumstances*. So here is now for you all:

notes:
1.tracklist again in the download (only)
2.for who likes the surprise track at the end, let me know through the comments (without revealing the artist) and I might have something special for you

*reason also for the postless weeks since last one, but from now on I'll try one weekly post minimum...

Enjoy the Show, and don't forget:'Our Globe is Everybody'sand the Only One We Can Floss!'

Sahara Soul - A night of Malian music

2013.Jan.31, RASA: Bassekou Kouyate with Ngoni Ba & Tamikrest (in this page are also some videos from both groups, as promos for the Malian night)Google translation: Sahara Soul pays homage to Mali plagued by a devastating instability. Two contemporary groups share the stage to hear a united voice from the musically rich West African country: Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba and Tamikrest. Bassekou comes from South Mali and is rooted in the Mamana tradition. Worldwide it is known the museum instrument the ngoni, the predecessor of the banjo, to rock a lot. With his new album "Jama Ko" he says, "You may be rich or poor, Muslim or Christian, let's get together and enjoy ourselves."
From the north, near the borders of Algeria, get the Tuareg of Tamikrest. Their hypnotic blues is inextricably linked with a revolutionary spirit.

audio not splitted up into individual tracks, so the following parts:
1.concert Bassekou Kouyate (63:25) / 2.N'goni Ba avec Tamikrest (11:00) / 3.Tamikrest (7:32, short part of concert)source: broadcasted by ConcertZender World Music Night (2014.May.04, Night)

Just came across the news, that a very nice music venue, RASA in Utrecht could get in trouble caused by losing their financial support from the government/municipality.
I remember having been there several times, especially a concert by Oumou Sangare in the 1990s springs up in my mind. They always have a nice programming there with artists from all over our globe.
I'll check in my archive if I can find any recordings made in RASA and if so will post it. In the meantime any of you wanting support a good global music venue, please check this link to a petition - https://petities.nl/petitions/i-support-rasa?locale=en. If you sign-up to this (as I just did), you will be supporting a manguetique cause.
Just noticed in their program that 'Trio da Kali' from Mali will be playing there in 10 days time, wish I could go there, but will just have to do with this video:

Friday, 30 September 2016

Follow up of the Guinee K7s radio show, here the one with Mali K7s, which actually was broadcasted by the ConcertZender one week earlier.

mangos for sale en route Bamako - Segou (1992, Mali)

As music from Mali is more known (than from Guinee), there's more info about the artists to find on the interweb. Included the basics in this post with links to more, hope everything provided is correct, if not just let it be known in comments to this post.

Listen to Ramata Diakite live at Montreal Jazz (audio from promo video)

Full Tracklist

1.Salif Keita - Bees (1993, K7, Sirga) Sirga K7 (1993, SOS Albino productions) Malian release of "L'Enfant Lion OST"
Salif Keita discography on radioafrica full K7 on YouTube: a1 / a2 / a3 // b1 / b2 / b3 (thanks Falilou Ndiaye) about the film L'Enfant Lion (Sirga): info / trailer2.Djene Doumbia - Maniamba (1984, K7, Pure Tradition) born in Kankan, Guinee, grew up in Ivory Coast in a family of griots, recorded and performed concerts with both Salif Keita and Mory Kanté
'Pure Tradition' was recorded in 1984 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast Djene Doumbouya YT channel - Djene with Sadio Orchestra at bandcamp3.Djeneba Traore - Don Foly (2001, K7, Djon Mine) born mid 1970s in Bamako, got musical teaching from her father,
recorded 'Djon Mine' K7 with Moussa Kone former guitarist with AFT
(old) info from mali-music: biography / discography4.Kandia Kouyate - Mansa Youman (1994, K7, Sa Kunu Sa) born 1959(?) in Kita, Mali, became 'ngara' or mastersinger after a long career,
which seemed to end in 2004, when she suffered a stroke,
but in 2015 she recorded and returned with a new album biographies: afropop / wiki5.Mama Draba - Alla Sanouman - 2006 Kedo K7 born 1968 in Mali in griot family, married with kora player Ballaké Sissoko,
member of his group Mandé Tabolo (short portrait on skyrock)6.Ami Sacko - Mogo Ti Dja Be Ye - 2002 Mali Denw K7 from Segou, Mali, at the age of 15 she started her musical career by entering
the competition “Young Discoveries from Ségou”,
she is married and performs with n'goni player Bassekou Kouyate
biography at entertainersrd7.Coumba Sidibe* - Namarato - 2001 Mansa K7 born in 1950 in Koninko, Mali, died 2009 May 10 in New York
sung from the age of 7, became in 1977 a member of 'Ensemble Instrumental
National du Mali', was their first singer to represent folkloric material from
her native Wassoulou region, later she started her own group Le Super Mansa
de Wassoulou, which for some time included a young Oumou Sangaré*
Coumba's obituary / discography8.Ramata Diakite - Yan Mogo - 2000 Confirmation K7 grew up in the Wassoulou region in southern Mali, her aunt Djénéba Diakité*
asked Ramata to sing backing vocals on her debut K7
in 1996 her own debut K7 was a best seller and she became a star in Mali
2009 Oct 30, after a year-long battle with Hepatitis A, she died in Burkina Fasopost about Ramata's passing / remembering Ramata / discography

Bien Sure! Il y a des Mangues Crues en Mali!!

Saturday, 24 September 2016

Originally I started with a compilation K7 from Guinee, so let's continue with more from that country with tracks by various artists issued on local K7s.
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my favourite postcard ever - Danseur Acrobate Peul (1993, Guinee)

In 2006 the ConcertZender radiostation broadcasted a K7 only show about Guinee, I could catch the stream. Have listened to it many times, while trying to gather background info about the artists presented. Well unfortunately there isn't too much on the global interweb, so in this post give you everything I know.

Friday, 16 September 2016

At 2006.Mar.24 she performed with her band in the Tropeninstitute in Amsterdam, the concert was recorded by the ConcertZender and a little later broadcasted on their radio station. I happily could catch it and present it here for your earal enjoyment.

About Salimata Diabaté

source: google translation of entry at muziekencyclopedie.nl
Salimata Diabaté was born 1960 June 27 in Dakar, Senegal. Her parents are griots (djeli or Djali in Mande), so she is griot by inheritance. Salimata's father, El Hadj Djigui Diabaté*, was balafon player and member of the National Instrumental Ensemble of Guinea, her mother Kadiatou Kouyaté is a singer. From her second year Salimata learned singing and dancing from her father, and when she was nine she performed for the first time in public with a group from Conakry. In 1970 she became dancer in the dance group of the army of Guinea, and sings and dances in the National Ballet of Guinea. With this company she first toured through West Africa and in the course of the 1970s, she travelled to Europe, the former Soviet Union and Cuba.
In 1977 Salimata Diabaté returned to Dakar. There she first became a member of the National Ballet of Senegal, in 1980 the Mansour Gueye Ballet and then Daniel Sorano's National Theatre. She played a role in the production 'Siege Of Dakar Linguere' by the National Ballet. In 1982 Diabaté began her solo career and eventually settled in the Netherlands. Since 1985 she travels with her ensemble Africa Salimata along the European concert and festival stages.
In 2004, a DVD appears with Salimate Diabate's performance at the Palais du Peuple in Conakry, Guinee. The same year her album Djigui is recorded in Paris, on which she is accompanied by ngoni, kora and percussion. On the album are songs and music from the griot tradition, together with her own songs with lyrics about social issues and personal experiences. The opening song is a tribute to her deceased father. In 2006 is released the CD Live Acoustic, recorded during her European tour.

Some months ago I posted a K7 from Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and now I have for you a concert recording from him and his Party recorded 1993.Nov.06 at the Music Meeting Festival in Nijmegen, Holland. I catched two broadcasts from this concert by Dutch Radio6 in 2010, actually both had the same songs, with only differences in the intro/outro's. So have selected the most complete versions.

The only thing I found about this concert is that is was voted #4 in the list of Best Concerts of the Music Meeting (voting held in 2014 with the 30th aniversary of the festival, see facebook item).
The top 3 was actually: 1.Salif Keita & Les Ambassadeurs (1985) / 2.Youssou N’Dour (1992) / 3.Baaba Maal & Daande Lenol (1988), well that's not a bad list!! Anybody any recordings of these???

Unfortunately I couldn't find any further info nor pictures of this concert, so included some pictures from 1993 concert in New York.

Vieux Kanté

The second one from Mali: Vieux Kanté with The Young Man's Harp (2016).
Vieux Kanté, real name Noumoussa Soumaoro, born in 1974 in the Sikasso region in south-west Mali and blind from childhood, mastered to play the kamalé ngoni aka. young man's harp. He developed his instrument from the original 6 to his 12 strings and, as he stated himself, could even play notes although they were not on his instrument "by doing those himself, using his own head".

Vieux Kanté solo on n'goni - LOVE THIS ONE!! where's this from?? is there more??

He was he was considered one of the most dynamic and accomplished solo players in Mali, leading his own band and had recorded a cassette (K7). Unfortunately after a sudden illness Vieux Kanté died unexpectedly in 2005, only 31 years of age. The K7 recorded shortly before his death is now, 11 years later, released internationally by Sterns Music titled The Young Man's Harp.Curious if the recorded K7 has been in the local market stalls in 2005 in Mali, and if the new release is the pure original or if it has been toyed with for the international 2016 market?More about Vieux Kanté:

Thursday, 1 September 2016

Had this post almost completed before my "summerbreak", so with almost 2 months delay I have for you a 2008 concert by Orchestra Baobab.
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Top band on Pure Jazz 2008: the legendary Orchestra Baobab from Senegal, Cuban swing and traditional West African music in a group catchy sound. Especially the cheerful and colorful tenor saxophonist Issa Cissoko made ​​a party and sought all the time eye contact with the audience. (sources: flickr - flickr)

Apart from above pictures didn't find much about the Pure Jazz Festival (seems 2008 was the last edition), so here short something about (Orchestra) Baobab:

In the early 1970s Barthelemy Attiso, born in Togo, was living as a law student in Dakar, in his free time he had learned himself to play guitar. Together with Balla Sidibe, Medoune Diallo and Issa Cissoko he started a band called Orchestre Saf Mounadem. Soon they could get a residency at the recently opened Baobab Club in Dakar, so they recruited some more members, mostly former musicians rom the Star Band and changed their name to Orchestra Baobab. They played Afro-Cuban music and as a multi-ethnic and multi-national band they fused this with their own traditions, like harmonies and drumming from Casamance (in southern Senegal), melodies from Togo and Morocco and Wolof tradition from northern Senegal. Till 1985 they recorded some 20 albums and when in 1979 the Club Baobab closed its doors the band succesfully sought new venues to play. In the meantime a new style of music, called Mbalax, had developed and steadily gained popularity, so that in the mid 1980s Orchestra Baobab with their Afo-Cuban based music were considered 'old fasioned'. This resulted in a break-up of the band, some members forming or joining other groups, and Barthelemy Attisso even returning to Togo to practice law.
After their break-up some of their albums were released in Europe, these got much critical acclaim and sold reasonably well outside Senegal. In 2001 at instigation of their English record label and successful Mbalax musician Youssou N'Dour they came together again and started preparing for an international come-back tour. This tour was so succesful that they decided to continue with the band and since then they have made regular tours around the world and even some new recordings. During one of those tours they played at the Pure Jazz Festival in The Hague, Holland.

In '3.improvisation' I noticed a rhythmic pattern (clave), which is also used in Ko Sira by Oumou Sangare, learned this pattern a long time ago from a drummer interested in all sorts of rhythms, it goes like this (in which X = hit and - = pause):

X

-

-

X

-

-

X

-

-

-

X

-

X

-

-

-

L

r

l

R

l

r

L

r

l

r

L

r

L

r

l

r

If you like to start learning this one best use both hands as shown under under, in which Capitals are Hits (X) and lower cases are dummies (-).
If split this up, first eight above and last eight under, you'll see that no Hit is at the same point in time, that's what makes this simple pattern more difficult than you think at first to learn and keep in time. But when you've mastered it, you'll always keep it with you and recognise when used in music.
(more info and background here)

Sunday, 3 July 2016

Many links to choose from (Baobab, Wassoulou K7, Oumou live, etc) for continuing Oumou's chain, but now Ali Farka Toure (1939-2006) feels most appropiate. The link is that Ali has helped Oumou in the beginning of her carreer, and unbelievable but true Ali wasn't featured here before. Even realise that in the early 1990s I had left him off my 'Tour of Africa' K7, remember also I was not convinced about the Talking Timbuktu album and really got into his music with the brilliant 'Nianfunke' album, so had his enormous past, all the way back till 1976 LPs, to delve into.
So here now all BBC recordings I have from Ali, all from broadcasts by Andy Kershaw.
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1987.Oct - Andy Kershaw's Kitchen in London - bc.2006.May.28 BBC Radio3setlist: 1.Yenna / 2.Cherie / 3.Kadi Kadi / 4.Amandrai In 1987 October the late Ali Farka Toure prior to his official gig did his first UK performance in the kitchen of Andy Kershaw's flat for about 30 well-informed people

Sunday, 26 June 2016

In 1992 spring I prepared for my trip to West-Africa, a part of it was checking music from the area. After hearing just one song from Oumou, immediately bought her first album 'Moussoulou', it's still one of my all time favourites. In the following years saw her several times performing live, each time absolutely brilliant with that subtle swinging groove, throwing the calabashes with shells and the powerful vocals by both Oumou and the backing girls.

Unfortunately never could tape nor get some concert recordings of Oumou in the 1990s. In recent years I could catch some individual live tracks from various performances and sources, as it's only 5 tracks from 1993 till 1996, I added some K7 only tracks from the early 2000s catched from a radio special.

Short Introduction to Oumou Sangaré

Oumou Sangaré, born 1968 in Bamako, is a Malian Wassoulou musician. Sangaré's mother was the singer Aminata Diakité. As a child, Oumou Sangaré sang in order to help her mother feed their family as her father had abandoned them. At the age of five, she was well known for her talents as a gifted singer. After making it to the finals of a contest for the nursery schools of Bamako, she performed in front of a crowd of 6.000 at the Omnisport Stadium. At 16 she went on tour with the percussion group Djoliba.
Oumou Sangaré recorded her first album Moussoulou ("Women") in 1989 in Abidjan with Amadou Ba Guindo, a renowned maestro of Malian music. With more than 200,000 copies sold, the album (K7) was an unprecedented West African hit. At the age of 21 she was already a star. With the help of Ali Farka Touré, Oumou Sangaré signed (in 1991?) with the English label World Circuit.
Oumou's music has been inspired by the music and traditional dances of the Wassoulou region in south-east Mali. She writes and composes her songs, which often include social criticism, especially concerning women's low status in society. Many of Oumou's songs concern love and marriage, especially freedom of choice in marriage, she supports the cause of women throughout the world. More about Oumou Sangaré at wikipedia (basic only) and in various 'album extras' at worldcircuit (in depth).
Listen to a track from the 1994 Druga Godba Festival in Slovenia

Saturday, 18 June 2016

This time some music from a land without mango trees, but their blowing of the horns sounds manguetic to my ears, and their speed.........., at each speed control they'll get a ticket, but luckily can return it by blowing some more!
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Fanfare Ciocarlia on their way to play live (just stopped by the police)

And the chain, well no links to recent posts, just in one of the first posts here Awards for World Music Concert (2006) is included one track and interview with this ear blowing band from the village of Zece Prajini - meaning Seven Fields - in Romania.

Fanfare Ciocarlia - 'Kings & Queens'

Bosnian melancholy and French flamenco fire meet the virtuoso wind orchestra from Romaniasource: info for 2007 Music Meeting
A little less than ten years ago trumpeter Lazar Radulescu of Fanfare Ciocarlia spoke the - almost - prophetic words: "We have made ​​music at weddings in Zece Prajini and the rest of Moldova. We play now in Germany, France and Belgium.Next year we are in America and Bulgaria. A few more years and we'll play on Mars. Just watch!" Since then, the Romanian gypsy orchestra has astonished theaters, pop venues and festivals all over the world with their dexterous, melancholic and danceable rumbas, horas and sirbas. It was a hectic time with peaks of 30 gigs in one month. On their website are, next to the bizarre amount of tour dates, lists with international reviews.
After four successful CDs and one DVD there is also a new challenge: to bring gypsy music, which is becoming more popular is in the rest of the world, back to their own Romania. The Roma and their culture were largely tucked away in the time of Ceausescu and after the fall of the dictator in 1989 that changed only gradually. In Romania Gypsy culture is still not seen as part of the Romanian society.

in 2006 at first ever concert in Romania

In 2006 December there is a milestone for the Fanfare: it performs its first concert in its own capital Bucharest. And not alone: for the occasion its members are assisted by renowned Roma musicians from all over Europe, like the Macedonian diva Esma Redzepova and three French gitanes from the band Kaloome. Unfortunately without the participation of clarinetist Ioan Ivancea, doyen of the Fanfare and champion of Roma culture. He died in 2006 October.
The orchestra travels through Europe to make more recordings with fellow musicians for the new album 'Kings & Queens'. Not only Redzepova and Kaloome are involved, also the electro-gypsy Mitsou, sexy rocker Jony Iliev
and Serbian crooner Saban Bajramovic participate. The result is a surprisingly balanced and beautiful album in which the various gypsy traditions have their place. The album, released in 2007 March, is dedicated to Ioan Ivancea.
At the Music Meeting will play a unique delegation of Queens & Kings. First, the eleven men of Fanfare Ciocarlia (trumpet, clarinet, saxophone, tuba, horn and percussion), and their dancers Aurelia Tantica. Then the guest musicians: Bosnian Ljiljana Buttler with her through life marked, ​​almost masculine voice, and from the south of France Perpignan Tato Garcia, Christ Maille and Sabrina Romero from the band Kaloome. Especially the cooperation with Kaloome is surprising. The musicians of Ciocarlia reduce their pace a little, to give space to the Spanish guitar, the handclapping and the flamenco vocals. The music of the Catalan gitanes fits perfectly into that of Ciocarlia. All in all the show in Nijmegen will resemble the liberating concert in Bucharest. This is Fanfare Ciocarlia - plus!performance: Sunday 2007.May.27 - De Kathedraal - Park Brakkensteinline-up: Costica Trifan - trumpet, vocals / Paul-Marian Bulgaru - trumpet / Lazar Radulescu - trumpet, vocals / Oprică Ivancea - clarinet, alto sax / Dan Ionel Ivancea - alto sax / Constantin Cantea - tuba / Monel Trifan - tuba / Constantin Calin - tenor horn, vocals, dance / Laurentiu Ivancea - baritone horn / Costel Ursu - bass drum / Nicolae Ionita - percussion / Antoine "Tato" Garcia - guitar / Christchurch Mailhe - guitar, vocals / Sabrina Romero - vocals, dance, cajón / Aurelia & Tantica - dance / Ljiljana Buttler - vocals

About Me

This blog is made out of love for the music here presented in softcopy, if you like something, best support the music and artists by trying to buy a hardcopy yourself and visiting their concerts.

On this blog will be presented: original K7s with music from all over the world, radio broadcasts of live concerts (from K7 recordings and/or radio streams), all sorts of other musical items.Note: selections based on personal manguetic taste.

MY WISH LIST:music I know exist, never have heard, but love to have listened to at least once*Doura Barry - Laureat de Guinea (K7)*Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - early K7s*1980s live recs Super Biton*1980s/90s live recs Bembeya Jazz*1990s live recs Oumou Sangare*1980-85 live recs King Sunny Ade*1979-86 live recs Amazones de Guinee*recs Andy Kershaw BBC Sessions*recs BBC World Music Awards*Tinariwen - early K7s (1992/93)(will be continuous updated)